A New Sunrise?

I suppose after about 12 days it is time to take my previous post off the front page, but obviously updating my blog hasn't been a keen priority lately. In a brighter, south-southeastern light, I have, thanks to my precious friends, successfully moved from the "The Castle" (see October posts) to...well, not a castle, but a fine residence nonetheless. I loved my previous home so much that it has been difficult to find a new apartment without the thick haze of melancholy obscuring my perspective. (and for those of you that can't quite follow what is going on here, my previous residence in The Castle came to a premature end in favor of a new owner evicting everyone for "major renovations," possibly a legal guise for a condominium conversion).

After precariously balancing my belongings down The Castle's dilapidated fire escape, it was time to open my new front door. And as though I had never seen the place before, I realized that...it really is a nice apartment. It's no castle for $485 a month, but it has ample natural sunlight (something very valuable in Portland!), a sliver view of downtown and the West Hills, a Murphy Bed to pull out for guests (I don't even want to begin with the name jokes on that one, but mark my word: there is not, nor shall there ever be a Murphy sleeping on my Murphy Bed) ...ahem...there is ample storage space, numerous public balconies with barbecue potential, and for the first time in my rental career, there is space -- oh, glorious space to stretch my legs, space to run in circles and bark at my tail, and space to realize that I'm a dude that obviously doesn't spend his money on furniture.

I soon realized that one must look for a place that can become a home, not a place that already is a home. My new apartment -- now aptly dubbed "The Murphy," or just "The Murph" if you're into the whole brevity thing -- can indeed become my home. And because of that, I will sleep soundly among the unfamiliar new sounds and shadows.

I hope to post pictures soon. And an uber "Thank You" once again to my friends for their slave labor; a "Murph" warming party awaits you all!

How Do You Keep Love Alive?

Lord, I miss that girl
On the day we met the sun was shining down
Down on the valley
Riddled with horses running
Crushing them with flowers
I would have picked for her
On the day she was born
She runs through my veins like a long black river
And rattles my cage like a thunderstorm
Oh my soul

What does it mean?
What does it mean?
What does it mean to be so sad?
When someone you love
Someone you love is supposed to make you happy
What do you do
How do you keep love alive?

When it won't
What, what are the words
They use when they know it's over
"We need to talk," or
"I'm confused, maybe later you can come over"
I would've held your mother's hand
On the day you was born
She runs through my veins
Like a long black river and rattles my cage
Like a thunderstorm
Oh, my soul

What does it mean?
What does it mean?
What does it mean to be so sad?
When someone you love
Someone you love is supposed to make you happy
What do you do
How do you keep love alive?

When it won't
How do you keep love alive?

-- Ryan Adams